Adventure, July 1, 1928 — page 40: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

84 THOMSON BURTIS down into the amazed faces of the two guards, and of the men who must be, from their clothing, the flyers. One, to his surprise, was a young Mexican with a pock marked face.. The other was the most furtive eyed man he had ever seen. Middle aged and very small, he seemed to be totally unable to look at Daly in any other manner than quick, frightened glances. Probably he was the mechanic. As Daly was about to speak he sud- denly stiffened. From afar his ears caught the sound of thudding hoofbeats. Two horses. Some one was riding, and riding fast, toward the field. Had Ivers been discovered by his friends? “You may be on the level, all of you,” he said tersely, “but I take no chances. Drop your guns, you guards, and then the four of you run like hell for the other end of this field! Fast!” For a second they hesitated. He shot, slightly to one side of the mechanic. ' “T meant it,” he said coolly. “And you flyers—don’t get into the air or I’ll shoot you down without asking any ques- tions!” The Mexican pilot dropped a blistering curse and started to run. -He was un- armed. The others, their eyes darting toward the horsemen who were now in sight, five hundred yards away, did like- wise. The ship was all right, Daly thought, as he vaulted into the rear cockpit. The Liberty, luckily, had a self-starter and he leaned over the partitions. between the cockpits to start it. On the second -try it caught. There were shots from the horsemen—his last doubt as to their mission was swept away. ITHOUT fastening his belt he gave the cold Liberty the gun. He wiggled the controls very slightly as the big bomber rushed across the field. Elevators and ailerons moved obediently. Close to the black wall of mesquite on the other end of the field he pulled back on the stick, and the DH answered. It took the smooth night air cleanly, de- spite the sputtering motor. He circled the field as he unwound the radio antenna. That radio key was his reason for being in the back seat. The roar of the motor grew smoother 2as the Liberty warmed. It had been a desperate chance, taking off . with it stone cold, but he had won. He glanced down at the field. The four men were back in front of the hangar, talking to the two horsemen. What could be more probable than that that ship, said by Conklin to be sub- sidized by Derringer, should be used for illegal purposes at times? There might even be machine guns available to mount on the rear seat. It had a scarf mount, he remembered. As he methodically unwound the antenna his whole being was concentrated on but one thing, the saving of Tex. Nevertheless there seemed to be a part of his brain which automatically worked along, steadily putting the various ele- ments in the situation in their proper places. The abduction of MacDowell had been a stroke of genuis—an excellent ex- cuse for Ivers to put $50,000 of the elder MacDowell’s money in his pocket without so much as consulting with the old man. Probably Ivers had not figured on killing Tex until he had found out how much the two flyers knew. During the entire time the merchant had banked more or less on the full cooperation of Daly in an emer- gency, through the power of blackmail. The motive behind his machinations had been partly revenge for something which had happened in the past, and partly the opportunity to make a great deal of money. Between embezzling funds from the business, dealing in acreage, poker and the kidnaping, thrusting the blame for all losses on conditions at Verona, a quarter of a million dollars seemed a small estimate of the sure money Ivers could make in his. position of trust. The antenna was out, now, and the metal fish at the end of it gleamed in the moonlight. As Daly’s hand found the key he pointed the De Haviland for the river. His hand rested motionless on the sending instrument for a moment, how- comicloooks.com